Tiffany Cunningham testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee during her confirmation hearing to be Judge for U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, on Wednesday. Photo: Committee Video

It was smooth sailing Wednesday for Perkins Coie partner Tiffany Cunningham at a Senate Judiciary hearing on her nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Because the Federal Circuit hears mostly patent and other business disputes, nominations for the court tend not to be controversial. With Cunningham poised to become the first Black member in the court's nearly 40-year history, few senators seemed inclined to level any criticism.